Rom rod storage matrix with electrical components in adjacent rod blocks

ABSTRACT

A ROM rod storage matrix comprises a plurality of similar sideby-side ROM rod blocks each containing several ROM rods and separately associated resistors and diodes, wherein a portion of the ROM rods are provided for the storage function while another portion of the ROM rods may be provided as respective magnetic flux return paths. Each of the ROM rods which participate in the storage function include a coil which is electrically connected to an electrical junction shared by the other ROM rods of a block, the connection being effected either directly or via one or more of the associated resistors and diodes. Another contact of each ROM coil is connected to another junction shared in common with a ROM coil from each of the side-by-side blocks, either directly or by way of one or more of the resistors and diodes, the common electrical connection being effected by means of an electrical conductor which is attached perpendicularly to the ROM rod blocks and extends transversely thereof.

May 1, 1973 Unite States Patent 11 1' Utner r n "m n e m a u h n c m S K a n .1 e e b M o J 9 a .m 3 m a an 4 3 W 4, a M .m 4 n 3 P I m mm EYW MWC EP G M 0 R D 0 0 T R SAT DEN ORE R C M m OLD REA m Assistant Examiner-Gerald P. Tolin [751 I Inventor:

Ferdinand Utner, Regensburg, Germany Attorney-Benjamin H. Sherman et a1.

[73] Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Berlin and Munich,

Germany [22] Filed: Marni), 1972 [21] Appl.No.: 239,533

several ROM rods and separately associated resistors and diodes, wherein a portion of the ROM rods are provided for the storage function while another por- [30]' Forei A li ai P i it D t tion of the ROM rods may be provided as respective magnetic flux return paths. Each of the ROM rods which participate in the storage function include a coil Ap.7, 1971 Germany.....................P 21 17 063.8

which is electrically connected to an electrical junction shared by the other ROM rods of a block, the connection being effected either directly or via one or more of the associated resistors and diodes. Another contact of each ROM coil is connected to another junction shared in common with a ROM coil from each of the side-by-side blocks, either directly or by v 0 44 A wom73 M 71 47b 0 7 1.1 2 11 1 3 /0 4 04G 79 43 9911A 3 49 3 0 v E unwv 3 7 m m 2 0 1 W 0 H "W 7 "42 I a a n u 1 a l m d3 S t me I no] U IF .1 l] 2 0o 5 55 .l. [.t

way of one or more of the resistors and diodes, the common electrical connection being effected by means of an electrical conductor which is attached perpendicularly to the ROM rod blocks and extends transversely thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,373,406 3,465,291 9/1969 De Witt... 3,339,184 8/1967 Pick 14 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEUHAY 1 m3- snm 2 OF 3 Fig.3

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i1... lnllE-FIH PATENTEBHAY um sum 3 or 3 Fig.5

Fig.7

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ROM ROD STORAGE MATRIX WITH ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS IN ADJACENT ROD BLOCKS DESCRIPTION This invention relates to a ROM rod storage matrix, the term ROM being the accepted abbreviation of a read only memory. In particular, the invention relates to a matrix made of ferrite rods, at least a number of the rods being provided with a cylindrical winding. The cylindrical winding ishereinafter referred to as a ROM rod coil and is influenced by alternate currents or impulses whereby an output voltage is induced therein. These alternate currents or impulses are guided around the selected coils by way of program cards, as is well known. Those rods which are not provided with windings are hereinafter called empty rods and serve for returning the magnetic lines of flux which emerge from the energized ROM rods. The empty rods are required only with certain dimensions of ROM rod storage matrices, in particular with closely adjacent ROM rods. 7

It is the problem of such a circuit, and therefore the primary object of this invention, to provide a mechanically stable and distortion free matrix arrangement of ROM rods, which matrix arrangement has as few solder points as possible and which offers good protection of the thin coil wires against mechanical damage.

This task is solved, according to the present invention, in such a way that the ROM rod storage matrix is composed of essentially similar ROM rod blocks, each containing several ROM rods. The ROM rod blocks further contain other electrical components which are separately required for each ROM rod- A respective junction of at least a part of the ROM rod coils of a ROM rod block are electrically connected with a common electrical junction at one end of the ROM rod block, either directly or by way of one or more of the interconnected electrical elements. Further, the otherterminal of each ROM rod coil is electrically connected, either directly or by way of one or more inter- 0 whose ROM rods are provided with a plastic container having corresponding cylindrical elevations and one or several bases. The bases are held together by means of contacts and a metal band, the contacts being electrically connected with the remaining ROM rod blocks of the ROM rod storage matrix by way of the electrical conductors which extend perpendicularly to the ROM rod blocks. Therefore, a part of the ROM rods can be mechanically separated in a simple manner, and each desired block length can be produced from a longer block. A mechanically stable transverse connection and a good electrical contact is obtained in such a way that the contacts which serve for the transverse connection of the individual ROM rod blocks have a slot with a metal band extending therethrough, which band is electrically connected with the contact surfaces. A 7

simple construction is obtained wherein the mountings for empty rods are connected in one piece with the metal band and the empty rods are held by the bases of the ROM rod blocks within recesses.

A space saving embodiment is obtained in such a way that a common contact is formed by a metal band fora group of ROM rods, which band extends around the connected component elements, and that the corresponding contacts of several ROM;rod blocks are electrically interconnected by means of an electrical :conductor which is attached perpendicularly to sideby-side arranged ROM rod blocks.

This matrix construction has several advantages due to the factthat only a minimum number of junctions, namely one per line and one per column, respectively, must be extended out of the matrix, that the junction connection or common joint for several ROM rods of a block are contacted directly on a common electrical conductor, without connection points between the individual ROM rods, and that only a single straight electrical conductor is required for each ROM rod of a ROM rod block for a transverse connection.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the ROM rod storage matrix comprises ROM rod blocks which are held together by means of strip-like printed circuits which extend perpendicularly to the matrix plane and are wired, the ROM rods containing tubular cores which are plugged over pins extending out of the printed circuits and then upwardly at a right angle. This construction permits an examination of the individual storage places after the wirin'gprocess without having to first separate the mounting strip. A particularly low ROM rods and therebetween on the line of shortest distance, since therefore the. empty rods can be attached relatively close to the ROM. rods. It is advantageous, in particular with the form of the ROM rod blocks which are cast into plastic beakers, that covered empty rods extend out of the bases of the ROM rod blocks and are staggered with respect to the ROM rods. An advantageous alignment of the ROM rod blocks with associated electrical components resides inthe provision of a resistor connected in parallel to the respective ROM rod coil, and a diode connected in series with the respective ROM rod coil, wherein the resistor and diodes required for each ROM rod block are attached and interconnected at one or both ends of the ROM rod blocks.

An economical method for production of a ROM rod storage matrix may be provided in that a mounting strip is provided with cuts for forming contact surfaces a metal band which extends separately thereof and the required mounting devices. The resistor and diode component elements which are required for each ROM rod are first of all attached on the mounting strip and preferably interconnected by means of submerged soldering or center slage soldering. The ROM rods are then plugged into or onto the mounting devices and the ends of the ROM rod coils are electrically connected with the corresponding contact surfaces. The ROM rod blocks are then cast-inor sprayed-in for hermetic sealing. The mounting strips are separated and the required number of ROM rod blocks and possibly of empty ROM rod blocks areplaced together and electrically connected with the electrical conductors which form the transverse connections. A stable construction of the matrix may be obtained by then gluing together the ROM rod blocks. A simple mounting for the tubular cores which are utilized as the ferrite ROM rods is obtained in such a way that the mounting devices are designed as pins with preferably rectangular cross section and that the tubular cores which carry the cylindrical ROM rod coils are plugged onto these pins. It is advantageous for the series production of ROM rod ledges of little height that an aligned printed circuit is placedonto a mounting band which extends perpendicularly to the matrix plane and which is electrically connected with the formed parts of the mounting band, preferably by submerged soldering, that contacts remain connected between the different ROM rod blocks, in the transverse connection direction, during a further treatment according to the above mentioned method, after the mounting band with the printed circuit are separated, and that generally for series production a part of the transporting belt is utilized as the mounting band and only separated from the remainder of the transporting belt after completion of the process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a partially cut and broken view of a ROM I rod storage matrix; 7

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation of a ROM rod storage block which is illustrated prior to separation of the mounting belt wherein the additional component elements are fully illustrated as attached by soldering, but not hermetically covered, the viewed being taken generally along the parting line II--II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the ROM rod block taken generally along the parting line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates, in a partially broken view, a ROM rod block including recesses for the empty rods;

FIG. 5 illustrates, in a partially broken view, a ROM rod block with empty rods cast therein; FIG. 6 is a sectional elevational view of a ROM rod block shown before coating; and

FIG. 7 illustrates an end view of the ROM of FIG. 6 prior to coating.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, a ROM rod storage matrix 1 comprises a plurality of glued together ROM rod blocks 2 and empty rod blocks 3. Ametal band 6 of the empty rod blocks 3 is soldered at 7 within slots 4 of contacts 5 of the ROM rod blocks 2. The empty rods 8 are mounted at the metal band 6 by means of the rod block material.

A tubular core 11 is contained in each ROM rod block 2 and is provided with a respective ROM rod coil 32. The tubular core 11 is plugged onto a respective mounting pin 12 and the ROM rod coil 32 is interconnected with a respective diode 13 and a respective resistor 14. A junction 15 of each ROM rod coil 32 of a ROM rod block 2 is electrically connected in common with other such coils to a metal band 16 which extends substantially the length of a ROM rod block. The metal mounting clamps 9 and carry a coating 10 of plastic band 16 is bent around the ROM rods (FIG. 4) and extends between the ROM rods on a line of shortest distance. The metal band 16, according to FIG. 2, is connected in one piece with a mounting strip 18, and the latter, in turn, with the mounting pins 12, the slotted contacts 5, and contact surfaces 19 and 30.

By means of separating the mounting strip 18 along a separation lines 21 and 35, the individual contacts are insulated with respect to each other and a junction for the metal band 16 is separated from the mounting strip 18. A fastening hole 20 serves for interconnecting the ROM rod blocks 2, which permits a neat gluing operation.

The ROM rod blocks 2 are provided with a plastic base 23 which includes recesses 22 which allow the ROM rod blocks and the empty rod blocks to be plugged together and soldered. The recesses 24 at an edge of the ROM rod blocks 2 serve for accommodating the empty rods, whereby the adjacent ROM rod block has correspondingly adapted recesses.

The ROM rod block illustrated in FIG. Salso contains empty rods and a saw tooth configuration 25 which allows a particularly firm connection of the adjacent abutting ROM rod blocks.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a'ROM rod block with a printed circuit 34 which is connected in one piece with a mounting strip 26. The printed circuit 34 is inserted into the mounting rods 27 which has the tubular cores 1 1 plugged thereon. By means of connecting a terminal of a test device to the contact surface 28 and a second terminal of the test device to the contact surface 29 of the mounting strip 26, each ROM rod 31 can be tested and possibly repaired, along with the associated component elements 13, 14,.before the mounting strip 26 is separated along the line 33 and prior to the casting or sealing process.

Although I have described my invention by reference to certain specific illustrations, many changes and modifications may become apparent to one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. It is therefore to be understood that I intend to include within the patentwarranted hereon all such changes and modifications as may reasonably and properly be included within the scope of my contribution to'the art. l

I claim:

l. A read only memory rod storage matrix comprising: a plurality of read only memory rod blocks arranged side by side and each including a plurality of aligned rod means, each of said rod means including an elongate core and a cylindrical coil on said core extending perpendicular to the matrix plane of the side by side blocks, each of said coils having a pair of terminals; a plurality of first conductors extending along the rod means of respective ones of said blocks; a plurality of second conductors extending transversely of said blocks adjacent a separate rod means of each of said blocks; one terminal of each said coil connected to the associated first conductor and the other terminal of each said coil connected to the associated second conductor; and a plurality of electrical components connected to each of said coils and connected to the associated first and second conductors.

2. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 1, comprising a printed circuit for each of said blocks oriented perpendicular to said matrix plane, said plurality of electricalcomponents connected to said printed circuit, said printed circuit comprising pins extending therefrom and including a right angle bend in the direction of said rod means, and wherein each of said cores includes means defining a bore therethrough for receiving the corresponding pin in a plug-in manner.

3. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 1, wherein each of said cores includes a longitudinal bore therein, and comprising means for mounting said cores including rectangular cross section pins extending into respective bores.

4. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 2, wherein each of said printed circuits comprises electrical junctions which extend perpendicular to said matrix plane.

'5. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 1, comprising a potting resin covering said blocks and said rod means extending therefrom, the potted blocks including a base and the potted rod means extending from said base.

6. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 5, comprising conductor means within and extending from respective ones of said bases for extend ing electricalconnections between the associated ones of said first and second terminals and said first and second conductors.

- 7. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 5, wherein each of said first conductors extends between and embraces each of said coils of the respective 'rod blocks and is electrically connected to said first terminals.

8, A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 5, comprising conductor means within and extending from said bases for extending electrical connections between said second terminals and associated ones of said second conductors, said conductor means including means for receiving and contacting the associated second conductors.

9. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 8, wherein said means for receiving includes means defining slots for receiving said second conductors.

10. A read only memory rod storage matrix accord ing to claim 1, a plurality of flux return rods connected to said bases and associated with respective ones of said rod means.

11. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 10, wherein said bases include means defining recesses for receiving said flux return rods.

12. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 10, wherein said flux return rods are connected to said second conductors.

13. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 10, wherein said flux return rods are staggered along said bases with respect to said rod means.

14. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 1, wherein said electrical components 

1. A read only memory rod storage matrix comprising: a plurality of read only memory rod blocks arranged side by side and each including a plurality of aligned rod means, each of said rod means including an elongate core and a cylindrical coil on said core extending perpendicular to the matrix plane of the side by side blocks, each of said coils having a pair of terminals; a plurality of first conductors extending along the rod means of respective ones of said blocks; a plurality of second conductors extending transversely of said blocks adjacent a separate rod means of each of said blocks; one terminal of each said coil connected to the associated first conductor and the other terminal of each said coil connected to the associated second conductor; and a plurality of electrical components connected to each of said coils and connected to the associated first and second conductors.
 2. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 1, comprising a printed circuit for each of said blocks oriented perpendicular to said matrix plane, said plurality of electrical components connected to said printed circuit, said printed circuit comprising pins extending therefrom and including a right angle bend in the direction of said rod means, and wherein each of said cores includes means defining a bore therethrough for receiving the corresponding pin in a plug-in manner.
 3. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 1, wherein each of said cores includes a longitudinal bore therein, and comprising means for mounting said cores including rectangular cross section pins extending into respective bores.
 4. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 2, wherein each of said printed circuits comprises electrical junctions which extend perpendicular to said matrix plane.
 5. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 1, comprising a potting resin covering said blocks and said rod means extending therefrom, the potted blocks including a base and the potted rod means extending from said base.
 6. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 5, comprising conductor means within and extending from respectiVe ones of said bases for extending electrical connections between the associated ones of said first and second terminals and said first and second conductors.
 7. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 5, wherein each of said first conductors extends between and embraces each of said coils of the respective rod blocks and is electrically connected to said first terminals.
 8. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 5, comprising conductor means within and extending from said bases for extending electrical connections between said second terminals and associated ones of said second conductors, said conductor means including means for receiving and contacting the associated second conductors.
 9. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 8, wherein said means for receiving includes means defining slots for receiving said second conductors.
 10. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 1, a plurality of flux return rods connected to said bases and associated with respective ones of said rod means.
 11. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 10, wherein said bases include means defining recesses for receiving said flux return rods.
 12. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 10, wherein said flux return rods are connected to said second conductors.
 13. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 10, wherein said flux return rods are staggered along said bases with respect to said rod means.
 14. A read only memory rod storage matrix according to claim 1, wherein said electrical components comprises for each of said rod means a resistor connected in parallel with said coil and a diode connected in series with said coil. 